Can I debug 2 applications simultaneously?

OK, just as a foreword, I would appreciate if anyone answering assumes a pretty low level of knowledge on my part (in all the relevant fields).

Also I don't know if "applications" is the proper term.

I am working with a web-application that calls to a web-service for for all DataAccess logistics. BusinessLogic and DataAccess sit in separate dlls. When I am debugging the web-site, breakpoints set in businessLogic say no symbols have been loaded and the breakpoitns will not be hit.

Also, if I am debugging the web-application I cannot debug the web-service, and vice versa. Is there any way to have breakpoints hit in both applications (As well as in the other dlls )

Thanks.

Hi,

Are the web app and he web service running on the same machine Are they both running on IIS or on the file system You can definitely debug 2 or more applications at the same time. If both the web app and the web service are running on the same machine you should be able to step into the web service method call from the web app using F11. If this doesn't happen, feel free to manually attach the debugger to the web service worker process (if on IIS, this is w3wp.exe on Win2k3 or Vista or aspnet_wp.exe on win XP, if on file system, mak sure you attach to all the running instances of webdev.webserver.exe). If the BusinessLogic and DataAccess dlls are loaded by the web service, you should be able to debug them once the debugger is attached to the web service worker process. If you still can't hit breakpoints in these dlls, make sure you have corresponding .pdb files next to them on disk, them in the Debug | Windows | Module window right-click and choose Show Modules from all processes. Then look for the BusinessLogic or DataAccess dll, right-click on it and choose Load Symbols. This might prompt you for the location of the .pdb file. Once the symbols are loaded you should be able to set breakoints in them.

Hope this helps,

Monica Boris

VS Debugger Team

Thank you, I will try that. In answer to your questions, both webapp and webservice are running on VS2005's virtual server, and on the same machine. Don't know if things are different with the virtual server.

But up to now I have found that I can run 2 instances of VS2005, one debugging the webapplication and one the webservice, and then everything works great (but I could never do this at home with my 512Mb Ram computer, so there i will try your suggestion).